But it was the 57th-minute dismissal of Nani - shown a straight red card for a high tackle on Alvaro Arbeloa – that left Ferguson raging at Turkish ref Cuneyt Cakir.

Ferguson, whose gamble backfired in dropping Wayne Rooney to the bench, was too distraught to speak after the defeat and left assistant Mike Phelan to face the world’s media.

Phelan said: “I don’t think the manager is in any fit state to talk to the referee about the decision.

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“I think it speaks volumes that I’m sitting here speaking to you and not the manager.

“We all witnessed a decision which seemed harsh, almost incredible, at that moment in the game.

“It’s a distraught dressing room and a distraught manager and that’s why I’m sitting here in front of you now.”

Madrid boss Mourinho said United did not deserve to lose the tie and claimed his side were lucky to progress to the last eight.

“The best team lost,” said Mourinho. “Irrespective of the red card decision, the best team lost.

“We didn’t play well and we didn’t deserve to win, but sometimes football is like this.

“United were playing very well. They were very compact, aggressive, very well organised technically and the match was very difficult for us.

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“I doubt with 11 against 11 we could have won the match.

"Football at this level is such a fine balance," he said. "Playing with a man down for such a long period of time is going to change a lot.

"When we were against 10, we played very well for 10 minutes. We gave them a new problem they couldn't solve.

"But I know Old Trafford and what Sir Alex Ferguson could do.

"We couldn't control the game by possession. That frustrated me.

Mourinho also paid tribute to reserve keeper Diego Lopez, who made key late saves in place of first-choice Iker Casillas as United chased the game: "In that moment Diego Lopez gave us part of the victory.

"David de Gea was man of the match in Madrid. Today it was Diego Lopez."